Georgia Taxpayers To Pay $1M For Workforce Training At New Cosmetics Plant

By T.A. DeFeo | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square Georgia

December 18, 2022

(The Center Square) — Georgia taxpayers are on the hook to cover more than $1 million in workforce training for a global beauty company opening a Savannah-area facility.

On Wednesday, state officials confirmed KISS USA, a global beauty company, will spend $121 million on a Bryan County facility. Company officials said they plan to create more than 395 new jobs at the facility at The Cubes at Interstate Centre II.

"The only discretionary incentive involved in this project is Georgia Quick Start, which will provide training support valued at approximately $1,085,395," a Georgia Department of Economic Development spokesperson told The Center Square via email.

According to its webpage, Georgia Quick Start "is a division of the Technical College System of Georgia, providing customized workforce training for companies creating jobs in Georgia."

In an announcement, Peter Won, senior director and head of human resources at KISS, said the company is "actively preparing" to start its business in Savannah "sometime in March of next year."

"With the establishment of a logistics center in the Savannah area, one of the United State’s leading container terminals; we are confident that a more smooth product supply to the eastern region, excellent manpower in the region, and active cooperation and help from local and state governments will lead to upgraded business operations," Won said in an announcement.

The focus of the work of The Center Square Georgia is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.